Premium
#9517
We call our home View to Heaven, Vista al Cielo. We accept globes (negotiable but normally up to two weeks per globe, depending on time of year, but we welcome all inquiries)
House • Atenas Costa Rica
Exchange types accepted
Statistics
Listed May 2021
Views 9435
General overview
PLEASE NOTE: While we love children, but our home is not child friendly. We have steep drop offs around our property, and floor to ceiling windows on the front of the house and glass coffee tables. Our pool is designed also for adults. If your children are 12 and above and well behaved you may reach out via private message to discuss. Our neighborhood is comprised of mainly over 55 retired residents who prefer peace and quiet so no partying or loud guests.
NO SMOKING ALLOWED.
Our three bedroom home is located in Atenas, a small, centrally located coffee growing town in Costa Rica. Our home is in a small, gated community of 28 homes. We are located five minutes from town by car and approximately 45 minutes to the nearest beach and a myriad of waterfalls. We retired here 13years ago and love our life here, but love to travel as well.
We live on a lot with an amazing view, but there is a bit of a steep road to arrive of less than 1/4 mile. No 4x4 required since the road is paved.
Costa Rica is a tiny country with many microclimates and not the greatest infrastructure as far as roads go.
There is very little variation in temperatures here. Our temps vary just a few degrees year round. We have two seasons, the rainy season and dry season. Temperatures at our home are typically in mid to upper 60’s at night and upper 70’s to mid 80’s during the day. October is our rainiest month and March is the driest and windiest…but that is not true of every part of Costa Rica. I personally love the months of April through December as everything is beautiful and green and no watering plants for me. We rarely have a full day of rain. Typically, the showers start in late afternoon around 3 pm and last a couple of hours or so. Because of our proximity to the equator, we have early sunrise and early nightfall so the sun is up by 6 am and dark by 6 pm. We recommend to our guests not to drive after nightfall due to potholes, not great roads in some places and fog sometimes in some areas.
IMPORTANT: Remember, we live adjacent to a nature reserve in a country with over 70,000 types of insects so communal living is part of life here. If you have a phobia about bugs, critters or such, our place is not for you. We have our house sprayed a couple times of year, but it’s impossible to keep the interior of our home bug free.
The space
Our home is single story and features a master bedroom with king bed. We have 4 bathrooms and five showers, including an outdoor shower. The guest house has a king bed and queen bed. The back bedroom has a full bath and a Murphy wall bed. The back room has a wall air conditioning unit.
Guest access
The house is handicap accessible, except for the swimming pool.
A housekeeper can be requested to clean during your stay, at your cost.
We do have an outdoor kitty that just needs fed once a day.
Notes
Atenas downtown is about a five minute drive or 35 minute walk. The neighborhood has a single road in and out and is hilly, but that is why we have the incredible views. Atenas has nice restaurants and grocery stores. We are about 2.5 hours from top hot springs, one hour from the beach and 45 minutes from amazing waterfalls. The international SJO airport is about 45 minutes away. October is the only very rainy month. March can be very windy!
Deep sea fishing about an hour away as well as surfing.
Features
Washer
Dishwasher
Clothes dryer
Oven
Microwave
Coffee machine
Fridge
Iron
Hair dryer
TV
WiFi
First aid kit
Wheelchair accessible
Bed sheets
Towels
Workspace
Pool
Garden / yard
Deck / patio / courtyard / terrace
Covered porch / verandah
Gated community
Travel Styles
Adventure
Family
Romantic
Sport and leisure
Relaxing
Eco
Village
Mountains
Remote
Tropical
Hiking
Cycling
Accessibility
House rules
Unsuitable for infants under 2
Unsuitable for children ages 2-12
Pets not allowed
No smoking
Allergens
Dog free
Carpet free
Smoke free
Fragrance free
Low allergen
Dates of Availability
Click on availability periods to see exchange types and descriptions.
Available Non-reciprocal Only
Neighbourhood
There are 29 lots in Lomas del Paraiso, which includes 28 homes. The neighborhood is made up of expats from around the world and some live here only part time and rent their homes when they are not here. You can see the neighborhood on Google Earth.
Getting to my home
If you are comfortable driving narrow hilly roads, then you may opt to rent a car. Otherwise, we can recommend private drivers for about $100 per day that can chauffeur you around to the sites and run any errands you require as well. Grocery stores will deliver as will most restaurants. The walk to town is beautiful and safe and a taxi back from town will cost about $5.00 usd.
Nearest airport
SJO Juan Santa Maria about 45 minutes
Getting around
You can rent a car if you feel comfortable driving on narrow, hilly roads. We do not recommend driving at night due to the narrow roads with drop offs and pot holes. Tour guides or private drivers can be hired to take you to places or taxis to and from town for about $5.50 USD round trip.
https://waterfallgardens.com/
La Paz is about 2 hrs from our home
https://www.natuwa.com/wildlife-sanctuary-costa-rica/
Great sanctuary if you love sloths, macaws, monkeys …about 1.5 hr away by car. We love to leave early and combine with El Encanto Waterfall in Esparza
https://quebuenlugar.com/lugares/catarata-el-encanto-esparza/?lang=en
https://www.facebook.com/Catarata-el-Encanto-Esparza-384090698394530/
If you love coffee, be sure to visit Alsacia on the way to or from La Paz and Poas
http://www.starbuckscoffeefarm.com/en/
La Fortuna, a favorite destination has world class hot springs. Travel time can be close to 3 hrs through San Ramon, but pretty drive. Spend the night and check out day passes at:
https://www.tabacon.com/
or another favorite place
https://www.thespringscostarica.com/
Tabacon and The Springs Resort are quite expensive, but we usually find an affordable Airbnb or hotel and just purchase day passes …very worth it!
The Bajos del Toro area is another favorite with several waterfalls to explore. Be sure to take the road through Zarcero. Travel time to Bajos is about 1.5 hrs. It can be cool up there so take a light jacket.
While in the area check out Catarata Rio Agrio (see their Facebook page), Catartas Las Gemelas or Los Manantiales.
Another favorite waterfall about 1 hr away in Tacares is Los Chorros. Our friend, David, can take you or give you information about the place. Worth the visit if you don’t mind a 35 or so minute hike. Two great waterfalls in one place.
Poas Volcano is about 1.5 hrs away, but you must make reservations online before you go.
Nearest nice beach is Playa Mantas in Punta Leona about 1 hr away. Bumpy road to get there off main road, but good public parking if you get there early. There is a toll road so take coins if you can for the toll.
You can also go to Tortuga Island for a fun day trip from Los Sueños, only an hour away:
https://costacatcruises.com/
Some suggested Facebook Groups for info…
Recommended groups on Facebook Costa Rica Travel
Costa Rica Information and Tips
Costa Rica Resources for Expats and Tourists
Costa Rica Travelling Tips
Map of Approximate Location
People Like Us Local Guide
Meet for coffee or offer suggestions for itineraries and off the beaten path places to visit.
Feedback
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Marcella’s house is paradise! It’s even more beautiful than the photos and is one of the nicest places I’ve ever stayed. We saw lots of birds including toucans and an abundance of hummingbirds. From there we did a two night stay in La Fortuna at Hotel Los Lagos which I highly recommend. In Fortuna we did the Eden chocolate tour which was brilliant, Mistico hanging bridges and the Fortuna night tour. We also did separate trips to La Paz waterfall and gardens as well as Rescate animal sanctuary. Both of which I would recommend a trip to. The kids had a brilliant time and we are so grateful to Marcella for the opportunity to stay in her home. She was always at the other end of the phone if we had any questions. For anyone staying - feel free to reach out to me for any extra info 😊 -
Thanks, Emma. I am so happy you enjoyed your stay at our home despite unusual heavy rain in November. We love our little slice of paradise and it means a lot to us when our guests are able to enjoy it as well.
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Marcella’s place is amazing! The home is so beautiful, you don’t even need to leave. I could sit outside all day just watching the hummingbirds. Atenas is a cute town with lots of yummy restaurants. The location is central to La Fortuna, Manuel Antonio, Jaco and Monteverde.. If you have a chance to stay here, don’t pass! -
We stayed at Marcella’s home in the mountains of Atenas for 10nights. There were so many things to love about this vacation. First, the view is spectacular and we will miss waking to that peaceful morning light overlooking the mountains. Seemed to change and shift based on the weather and time of day making every day there even more special. Secondly, those hummingbirds were a favorite of ours. Watching them is just mesmerizing. We loved the town of Atenas and visited the cute little bagel shop multiple times. We went on a lot of excursions to Jaco like horseback riding, ATVs and ziplining too. The beach at Jaco is beautiful as well. Jaco is about an hour and a half This trip was for the memory books and we feel so honored to have been able to enjoy such a treasure. Marcella is a fabulous host and will message u with all the pertinent details plus is always available if you have any questions. You will not be disappointed in an exchange to Marcella’s lovely home on the hill. -
Lisa, thanks for the kind comments. I truly hope you come back to Cost Rica and be able to explore the many other beautiful places that makes this country so special. We always try to do our best for our guests to have wonderful experience here.
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Marcellas home was a one in a series of exchanges as new exchangers. My only regret is that I didn't get to meet Marcella personally. She is an amazing host, guiding us along, checking in frequently, and offering interesting tidbits about the area and animals. What I loved most about Marcellas home was her beautiful gardens. Every morning and evening we would walk the property to see what new blooms had blossomed and what critters might be out. Her home was beautiful as well. We enjoyed the colorful, local art and all the creature comforts of her home. We had friends that were supposed to join us but were not able to. This changed our stay. Instead of driving everywhere for activities, we stayed local and just enjoyed the peaceful setting. It was perfect! Atenas is just big enough to provide everything we needed and plenty of restaurants for dining out. If you have a chance to exchange with Marcella, I highly recommend you do. -
We are just home from a 10-day trip to Marcella and Mike’s home in Atenas and ruminating on what a great experience it was! The home was so comfortable and the view so compelling we were happy to do some “slow travel” for a change. We took advantage of some of Marcella’s excellent suggestions of places to visit—the Choco-Tour San Mateo was particularly delightful, as was the Crema y Nata bakery downtown. We enjoyed a “language respite” (and the food) one lunchtime at the Polish European Restaurant as it’s known to be an English-speaking restaurant and none of the three of us have much Spanish. We rented a car and drove ourselves around—driving in Costa Rica is an adventure in itself!--but found we had to forgo the turtle hatching tours and some other highlights because we were not brave enough to drive after dark. This was our first trip to Costa Rica; we felt we were able to embrace and appreciate the country fully, and Marcella welcomed us warmly and made sure we had everything we needed for a very comfortable stay. Marcella is an excellent host, and we highly recommend this couple as exchange partners. -
Thank you for the complimentary review. We appreciate that you were wonderful guests as well. The house was left nice and clean and it means a lot to us to have respectful guests.
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Marcella's house is absolutely stunning! We did a simultaneous swap and I went to Costa Rica with my sister, brother in law and 1 year old niece. We had the best, most relaxing time. Marcella was a great communicator and we absolutely loved our swap to Atenas. -
Marcella’s home is as beautiful as her pictures. Everything here is all you need to be in paradise. Marcella is great to work with. She had wonderful suggestions for sightseeing and activities. Her contacts for guides and transportation were all great to work with. -
A wonderful globe hospitality stay with Marcella and mike Wonderful house and amazing hosts who totally cared for us and didn’t mind us basically not moving at all once we arrived Highly recommended house and people -
Great home in Costa Rica and perfect to explore the central mountains. Marcella was a great host and we had the pleasure to meet Marcella and Mike on our last day. -
We had the most amazing stay at Marcella & Mike’s home. Everything is so comfortable in their house. The outdoor seating, the beds, sofas,… their kitchen is very well equipped and perfect to cook anything. We loved the open plan living space! The climate is perfect and not hot & sticky as many tropical places. The views are amazing to see the sunsets & sunrises, the fog and storms rolling in! Their garden is so lush and rich. We loved exploring and seeing all the different plants & flowers and the birds they attract. (The humming birds are simply stunning!) There is also so much to do in the area. We visited waterfalls, volcanoes, national parks, the beach, picturesque small mountain towns, botanical gardens,… We had the opportunity to share dinner with Marcella & Mike on the last day and they are very kind, funny and perfect hosts! Thank you Marcella & Mike for a perfect trip!
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Before arriving Marcella was super helpful with any questions we had, the great communication continued throughout the exchange, very much appreciated. We truly had a great time in Marcella and Mike's beautiful home, the pool was also great. Got to storm watch as the rainstorms with thunder rolled in in the afternoon, fantastic site with the view in the background. Great location for exploring the central valley, Poas volcano and Orotino areas. Further away is possible too, but we stayed local because we had other exchanges in the area coming up. We've had a fantastic time here. Ended way too soon. We highly recommended an exchange with Marcella and Mike, you won't be disappointed 🙂. -
This was our first ever exchange and it could not hav been more perfect! Marcella was so kind and easy to talk to and get to know. Her home was INCREDIBLY beautiful and so comfortable. We all mentioned that we felt like we were living in a cloud! The views, the garden, the pool, it was stunning. We also really appreciated all of her suggestions and advice, she knows the area really well and we got to go on some really fun adventures that definitely made us feel like locals! I can't think of one thing that would have made this stay any better. I can't wait to host her and her family in my home in Idaho! -
We had a wonderful stay at Marcella and Mike's home! It is impeccably clean, with a beautiful sweeping view, beautiful landscaping, and wonderful pool. And, we especially loved the hummingbirds and other great tropical birds we could watch and admire right from the yard. Marcella was prompt to answer any questions we had and gave us great recommendations for day trips as well. Their home is quite a gem! -
Marcella’s home in Atenas was q wonderful! It’s spacious, clean, comfortable, wonderful views and a pool that we really enjoyed. She is also super easy to talk to and very kind. We had a very relaxing few days with good family-time. Thanks again!
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Marcella’s home is wonderful! It’s spacious, and comfortable with every amenity you could need or want. The outside areas of the house are full of lovely plants, and the 180 view of the mountains from the patio and lap pool area is gorgeous. We explored the area a bit - lush countryside, nurseries, and good restaurants abound. There are plenty of day trips here - hikes, animal rescue parks, waterfalls, the beach and even the city if you like. -
WOW! Marcella and Mikes place is absolutely gorgeous! A beautiful location, with stunning views, the pool was refreshing, the humming birds delightful. Marcella was very helpful with instructions and guidance for the area and getting settled in. Their home was immaculate and very comfortable. We really enjoyed feeding the birds, watering the garden and meeting kitty. The area is a great base for exploring and sightseeing. We managed to do a coffee farm tour, cacao farm tour, visit the Poas volcano, and many other sights. Definitively need your own transport to get about, and roads in Costa Rica even though distances are not great it takes longer due to the mountainous terrain. Thank you Marcella and Mike for a relaxing restful vacation. -
Thank you, Louise. It was a privilege having you both stay at our home and we appreciate the kind words and we are really happy you enjoyed your stay. We hope you come back to Costa Rica again and explore all the great places here. We appreciate the immaculate condition we found our home after the exchange.
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Marcella's house is beautiful, comfortable and designed so well to let beautiful breezes in. The outdoor shower is great, as is the pool and outdoor area. The gardens are so beautiful, and because of their location by a reserve, we saw more birds, animals, and butterflies just sitting on the deck than anywhere else we visited in Costa Rica! And the view was amazing. With clouds rolling in and out, the view changed constantly during the day ... we spent so much time at the house because it was great for relaxing but also seeing everything that is unique to Costa Rica! We also really enjoyed spending the last day with Marcella and Mike. They had gone out of their way to help us when we had a problem with our rental car during our trip, and we don't know how we would have figured it out without their generous help! We can't wait to see you again in New Zealand! -
First off, let me just say WOW!!! I was so lucky to have an exchange with Marcella! Not only did I enjoy getting to know her during the year it took to complete the exchange but was fortunate to actually meet her in person the night we arrived at her amazing home! I was so happy we came one day early and were able to meet up in person before she flew out early the next day. We arrived after dark and boy was her home amazing in the dark, but when we woke in the morning with all the birds chirping and the beauty of our surroundings it was even more beautiful than we could ever imagine! The pictures just don't do it justice. The snacks, wine, chicken salad, and sandwiches she left for us were very thoughtful and much appreciated and came in handy since we had no time to get to the store coming in late the night before. Anyway, just want to do a shout-out to Marcella for letting me have the best exchange ever. What a gorgeous home and Costa Rica is amazing. I sure appreciated all the informative information she left for us, the books on Costa Rica, and answering all my endless questions because I failed to read her handy information sheet in the first place! Thank you, Marcella, for putting up with me being clueless. Sure enjoyed the kitty coming to visit morning and evening so was a pleasure to feed it. Also enjoyed the various animals that showed up unexpectedly. Such as the surprise visit from the Coati and all the beautiful humming birds along with my favorite, seeing the Toucans in the beautiful trees on her grounds. Her wonderful green thumb and decorative touch are on display throughout the house and grounds. The outdoor shower was spectacular and the house inside and out was so comfortable. I would recommend anyone coming to Costa Rica, use Marcella's house as a home base. We explored many parts of the country and always wanted to return home and relax and enjoy the view, pool, and gardens. Again WOW, WOW WOW!!!!!!! -
Our exchange with Marcella was flawlessly smooth. She gave us suggestions on what to see and do and answered all of our questions promptly. Her home is a botanical garden with lots of plants and birds. The view over the valley and mountains was ever changing. The house itself was spacious and nicely decorated and had everything we needed. Costa Rica is a beautiful country with even more beautiful people. You will encounter smiles and everyone wishing you "Pura Vida". Thank you, Marcella. -
We recently returned from our exchange at Marcella's absolutely fantastic home in Atenas, Costa Rica! Our stay was wonderful and I don't even know where to begin to express our gratitude that we got to stay in such a lovely place. The views are fantastic - the home is located overlooking a beautiful valley where on sunny days the lush valleys sparkle and on rainy days, you can watch amazing lightning storms and clouds rolling through. My favorite place to spend the mornings was out on the magnificent patio watching the birds and butterflies and taking a dip in the pool. The home is comfortable, has every convenience, and really a perfect place to make your homebase. We did a combination of relaxing at the home as well as exploring on day trips and one overnight trip further afield. We did rent a car, which isn't necessary as Marcella has contacts if you would like to hire a driver or use taxis, but I will say having our car did make it easier for us to get into town and see the sites. Marcella and her husband were gracious hosts and beyond helpful when it came to planning our international adventure. We actually came in a day early, so we could meet up in person before they were off. I was so appreciative of all the communication, the thorough answers to my dozens of questions, and the recommendations for places to see. It was a wonderful and easy exchange and we look forward to hosting them when they make their trip to Leadville! -
Marcella has been very helpful before and throughout my stay in her beautiful home. She has given us lots of suggestions to visit nearby places and things to do. We have been very comfortable and we really enjoyed being in this house and the town of Atenas during the time we spent here. The scenery from the house is awesome as the house is surrounded by nature. We kept in touch all the time to offer help and advice if needed. I certainly would recommend swapping your house with them.
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